Urinary drainage device

ABSTRACT

A urinary drainage device adapted to be slipped over and held on the penis of an incontinent patient to permit the patient to urinate and direct the urine to a container which comprises a stretchable neck portion adapted to hold the device on the penis, a hollow bulblike body portion for the penis and a narrow end portion adapted to be connected to a drainage tube.

May 9, 1972 United States Patent McLaughlin 3,364,932 1/1968Beach...................................128/295 [54] URINARY DRAINAGEDEVICE [72] Inventor: Gladys M. McLaughlin, 8 Westerly Street, FOREIGNPATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Jamaica Plain, Mass. 02130 Feb. 5, 1969 593,6373/1934 Germany..............................128/294 22 Filed:

Primary Examiner-Charles F. Rosenbaum Attorney-Robert R. Churchill [21]Appl. No.:

on the penis of an incontinent patient to permit the patient toReference Cned urinate and direct the urine to a container whichcomprises a stretchable neck portion adapted to hold the device on theUNITED STATES PATENTS e m me mm mm Pd ma 5 m m 0 .w rim F nc 0 m .l mm w1pc M ye m 8 b s 5 .m Rm m WM C m 7 n wo mm 0 hP .d An .w w

2,940.450 6/1960 Witt et 3,039,465 6/1962 Berger 3,336,926 8/1967Gresham......4........................

PATENTEDMAY 91912 SHEET 1 UF 2 Izweniov:

s M Malatqgi'zzizz; .9 WWW IJJ" 2:9

PATENTEDHAY 9 I972 SHEET 2 BF 2 122 45223302 6W Z'I. ZIcLangizZiaa;

URINARY DRAINAGE DEVICE This invention relates to a urinary drainagedevice for incontinent patients.

The invention has for an object to provide a novel and improved urinarydrainage device for use by incontinent patients which is sanitary,comfortable to wear and which is provided with novel means for retainingit in place and to prevent accidental displacement thereof.

With this general object in view and such others as may hereinafterappear, the invention consists in the urinary drainage device ashereinafter described and particularly defined in the claims at the endof this specification.

In the drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention:

FIG. 1 is an end view of the device;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 44 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an end view of a modified form of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary side elevation of the modified form of thedevice;

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view of the device taken on the line 7-7 ofFIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a cross section taken on the line 8-8 of FIG. 6.

In general, the present invention contemplates a novel and improvedurinary device which is particularly adapted to be used by incontinentmale patients in hospitals or nursing homes wherein the disposal ormeasurement of the patients urine presents a problem since the patientis usually unconscious and has no control over his urinary discharge andis unable to relieve himself in a normal manner. The present deviceprovides a sanitary and comfortable device to be slipped over thepatients penis and includes novel means for retaining the devicecomfortably in place so that accidental displacement thereof is reducedto a minimum.

Prior to the present invention the disposal or measurement ofincontinent male patients urine was accomplished in basically two waysone, the patient was catheterized and in the other manner a condom isrolled over the end of a drainage tube and taped in place and the endcut off to form a passage into the tube. The condom is then rolled upover the patients penis and secured thereto by tape. Each of the abovemeans has rather serious disadvantages. It is not always desirable orsafe to catheterize an incontinent patient since he may move in a mannersuch that the catheter is forcefully withdrawn and his bladder damagedor, in addition, irritation to the urinary tract may result from longperiods of catheterization. The second means is obviously quite crudeand has numerous disadvantages. In the first place, the condom may beeasily broken as the patient twists or turns in bed causing the patientsurine to cover him and the bed which is not only uncomfortable butresults in the necessity for numerous changes of bedding. Anotherperhaps more serious disadvantage resides in the fact that the glands ofthe penis rub against the end of the drainage tube and infection oftenresults. The condom is often taped too tightly in place, thus causing aloss of blood circulation in the penis and discomfort as well asinfection to occur. Another serious difiiculty resides in the fact thaturine is liable to back up within the device and cause seriousirritation and infection of the patients penis and accurate measurementof the patient'surine impossible due to seepage from the device.

The present invention provides a urinary drainage device whereinsubstantially all of the above disadvantages are eliminated. The presentdevice includes a neck portion and a body portion for encircling thepatients penis and an integral narrow drainage tube portion to which maybe connected another longer tube through which the urine may pass to becollected in a leg urinal or to a container secured to the side of a bedor positioned under the bed.

One of the principal advantages of the present invention lies in thenovel structure of the neck portion wherein a plurality of small suctioncups, each separated by upstanding ribs, are provided in the innersurface thereof. The cups lightly but firmly grip the skin of the penisand the rib portions provide a series of dams to prevent urine passed bythe patient from backing up or seeping from within the bulbous bodyportion. Thus, skin irritation is substantially prevented. The neckportion is elastic and clings firmly to the penis as it rises and fallsor expands or contracts without being too constrictive.

Referring now to the drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment ofthe invention and particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, 10 represents thepresent urinary drainage device which includes an elastic or stretchablehollow, tubular neck portion 12 of a size such that it may be slipped orrolled over the patients penis to firmly grip the shaft thereof, anintegral hollow bulblike body portion 14 into which the patients penisis received and a rather narrow exit tube portion 16. As shown in FIGS.3 and 4, the body portion 14 is preferably 3 inches in length and l /2in inches in diameter and the neck portion may be 1 /2 inches in lengthand 1 inch in diameter. The tube portion may be of any desired length.The above dimensions may vary and are illustrative only. It will beunderstood that the overall size of the present device may vary fordifferent patients and the proportions of neck and body remain the same.

In practice, it is preferred to produce the present device by a dipmolding process and is preferably made of latex rubber or a similarsubstance which is pliable and elastic.

In order to strengthen the body portion 14 of the device, the lowerportion 18 thereof is molded to be of substantially twice the thicknessof the upper portion 20. This provides sufficient strength to enable thedevice to resist possible rupturing due to stress applied as the patientturns or twists while the device is in place.

Referring now to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 illustrating the preferred form of theinvention, a plurality of substantially square depressions 22 defined bya series of intersecting raised ribs 24 are molded into the innersurface of the neck portion. A flat band 26 defines the outer end of theneck portion and is adapted to encircle and engage the uppermost end ofthe patients penis. When the device is positioned on the penis, thesuction cups grip and hold the device in place.

In a modified form of the present invention the device comprises a neckportion 28, a band 30 at the upper end thereof, a bulblike body portion32 and a tubular exit or drainage portion 34. It will be apparent thatthe rib, neck, body and exit portions are similar to those portionsdefined in connection with FIG. 1. The basic difference between the twoforms of the invention lie in the neck portion 28. As shown in FIGS. 5through 8, a plurality of oval shaped concave depressions are moldedtherein and defined by upstanding ribs 36. The depressions form suctioncups which grip the penis of the wearer and due to the suction createdmake the device difficult to dislodge once it is in operative positionon the penis. The ribs 36 not only define the margins of the depressionsbut also form dams to prevent urine seepage as do the ribs 24 of FIG. 2.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the presentnovel urinary drainage device provides an economical, highly efficientand sanitary device for use primarily by patients who are unconscious orotherwise are unable to control the discharge of their urine. The deviceis not only comfortable to the wearer, but also substantially eliminatesthe causes of irritation, infection and discomfort frequently resultingfrom the use of prior devices.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A urinary drainage device adapted to be worn by incontinent patientswhich comprise a hollow member having a stretchable neck portion, abulblike body portion and a narrow end portion arranged to be connectedto a drainage tube to direct the flow of the wearers urine into acontainer, the neck portion having a plurality of suction cupsintegrally formed therein, said cups being defined by intersecting ribs,said cups gripping the wearer to prevent displacement of the device, andthe ribs serving as dams to prevent a back flow of urine whereby toreduce irritation of the skin.

2. A urinary device as defined in claim 1 in which the upper end of theneck portion includes a smooth stretchable band.

3. A urinary device as defined in claim 1 in which the suction membersare square in cross section.

4. A urinary device as defined in claim 1 wherein the suction membersare oval in cross section.

5. A urinary device as defined in claim 1 wherein the suction membersare defined by a plurality of ribs intersecting each other at rightangles.

6. A urinary device as defined in claim 1 wherein the suc-

1. A urinary drainage device adapted to be worn by incontinent patientswhich comprise a hollow member having a stretchable neck portion, abulblike body portion and a narrow end portion arranged to be connectedto a drainage tube to direct the flow of the wearer''s urine into acontainer, the neck portion having a plurality of suction cupsintegrally formed therein, said cups being defined by intersecting ribs,said cups gripping the wearer to prevent displacement of the device, andthe ribs serving as dams to prevent a back flow of urine whereby toreduce irritation of the skin.
 2. A urinary device as defined in claim 1in which the upper end of the neck portion includes a smooth stretchableband.
 3. A urinary device as defined in claim 1 in which the suctionmembers are square in cross section.
 4. A urinary device as defined inclaim 1 wherein the suction members are oval in cross section.
 5. Aurinary device as defined in claim 1 wherein the suction members aredefined by a plurality of ribs intersecting each other at right angles.6. A urinary device as defined in claim 1 wherein the suction membersare circular in cross sectional shape.
 7. A urinary drainage deviceadapted to be worn over the penis of male patients who are unable tocontrol their urinary functions comprising a hollow body member having anarrow neck portion and a narrow exit portion, means in the neck portionfor retaining the device on the patient''s penis, said means comprisinga plurality of suction cups defined by intersecting ribs, and meansintegral with the exit portion for directing the flow of the patient''surine into a container.